


Perpetual

by happinesssdeceit (crescenttwins)



Category: Moana (2016)
Genre: Anthropomorphic, Gen, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-03 10:34:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13339434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crescenttwins/pseuds/happinesssdeceit
Summary: When the humans adventure, the Ocean delights. Because these humans may be the ones to find Te Fiti and restore her heart, to return a dear friend.





	Perpetual

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ariestess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/gifts).



> This ended up being less about Moana/Ocean and more about the Ocean, but I hope you enjoy this nevertheless! Happy Valentine's Day! <3

When the forest god Tāne’s humans first touch the Ocean, Tangaroa instructs her to give them no protection or gentleness, to let them perish in the storms and tide. For before the time of the humans, when the storm god Tāwhirimātea raged, Tāne refused to shelter the fish beneath his trees.  
  
At first, the humans drop nets and steal fish from her waters, replace the shining creatures with the smell of blood and trash. The Ocean obeys out of fury, brings high waves that loose their nets and dizzying tides that drag them under the water helplessly. She smashes the sides of their homes when the rains allow her to swell, break them down for being so arrogant and so wasteful.  
  
The humans begin to learn: they build further into the islands while the Ocean rages, and then she rests, drifts with the moon. She sleeps and wakes in cycles, and is content in her petty revenges.  
  
The children are innocent, the Ocean learns, and adores them. She pushes them easily with the water, leaves them shells that bring giggles to their mouths, and plays with the long fur atop their head. They grow older, these children that she adores, and begin to be curious about the world beyond their tiny islands, until they cut down trees and form wooden shells that float on her surface.  
  
And then they adventure, and the Ocean delights. Because these humans may be the ones to find Te Fiti and restore her heart, to return a dear friend.  
  
The humans travel far, step upon islands occupied only by the plants and the bugs, and with each discovery they grow more delighted to traverse her waters. The Ocean accompanies them, nudges children to prevent them from falling overboard, pushes their boats away from dangerous tides as they learn to read the stars.  
  
But it ends, one day: Tāwhirimātea grows angry once again, tearing up the Ocean’s surface until the human’s wooden shells crumble in the wind, and they drown. Many humans sink into her depths before they stop adventuring, until they stay close to their islands as if tethered. The children stop crawling to the beach, and the Ocean would forget-- except that they come back for a second breath, the lost adventurers, as manta rays that explore the waters still. The Ocean waits, because Tāwhirimātea’s fury cools, and the humans will surely venture out again.  
  
She waits, and waits, but the humans come and go quickly, and they forget that they ever explored the ocean in their little wooden shells. Despair ebbs in the Ocean, but she watches and watches the children borne of the explorers of old, waiting.  
  
Then, suddenly, there is a girl, who dances among the stones on the beach, singing and telling tales of the gods and the past explorers, and the Ocean watches her with delight. When she comes to the water, the rays encircle her, this girl who remembers and honors them. She marks herself with the rays, chooses them as they have chosen her, and the Ocean gurgles and watches her grow older. Watches her dance with a man and bring a child to meet her, a child who grows and takes a wooden shell beyond the reef.  
  
The Ocean swells with excitement, that the adventuring may begin again, but she is mistaken: the child’s companion drowns and the child grows to hate the open waters, hides behind the reef like a shield. The Ocean crashes against the island rocks in her desolation.  
  
The girl becomes wrinkled and gray, but continues to dance and weave tales, and the Ocean dances with her. And then the girl’s child has a child, and the Ocean swells in excitement once again.  
  
This time she is careful when the young girl comes to meet her. She watches the young girl guide a newborn turtle to her, protecting him against Tāne’s birds, and wonders if this human might be gentle enough to heal Te Kā. The Ocean decides to try, this young girl who smiles at the Ocean, shows her beautiful shells and plays with her flower. When the young girl laughs with her, she curls and offers Te Fiti’s heart.  
  
The young girl grows into a slightly bigger human, and dances, delighted in the tales of the gods, and so each time her feet splash into the water the Ocean rises to meet her. She loves the Ocean, and the Ocean loves her in return. There is hope that swells in her waters, that the girl might journey beyond the reef boundary, might restore Te Fiti’s heart and the balance of life again.  
  
The pig is a problem, the Ocean discovers the first time the young girl tries to go to the sea, and hopes that she will leave him behind the next time.  
  
The next time the young girl leaves, it is dark. But the Ocean does not notice, because the girl who became wrinkled and gray has not come to dance. The young girl has not gone out far, when the Ocean sees it: the girl, transformed into the ray that she loved. The Ocean does not wail for the loss of a dear human, but smooths the waters, to let the young girl see her passing. The young girl sobs, and the Ocean lets her grieve.

The girl begins to mutter as the Ocean steers her to the island where Maui resides. Most clearly, the Ocean hears the young girl say, Te Fiti’s heart clutched in her hand, “I am Moana of Montunui. You will board my boat.”  
  
_Moana_ , the Ocean echoes, and delights in the adventurer who shares her name.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I really appreciate and am motivated by comments if you would like to leave one. At the same time, replying gives me a lot of stress-- so if you don't receive a reply, please know that I treasure your words very much. <3


End file.
